The right to say no – http://corporateeurope.org/publications/right-say-no-eu-canada-trade-agreement-threatens-fracking-bans

The right to say no – ceta-fracking-briefingen  pdf

MEDIA RELEASE

EU-Canada trade agreement threatens fracking bans

Amsterdam/Brussels/Ottawa, May 6th. – The proposed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the European Union (EU) and Canada would grant energy companies far-reaching rights to challenge bans and regulations of environmentally damaging shale gas development (fracking), a new briefing by Corporate Europe Observatory, The Council of Canadians and the Transnational Institute shows.

As Canadian negotiators visit Brussels this week to move the CETA negotiations further towards conclusion, “The right to say no” warns the proposed investment protection clauses in the agreement would jeopardise governments’ ability to regulate or ban fracking.

Currently, EU member states and Canadian provinces are studying the environmental and public health risks of this newly popular technology to extract hard-to-access natural gas or oil. While the majority of European countries concerned with shale gas endowments are taking positions against it, powerful oil and gas corporations are pushing back against regulation.

“CETA will empower big oil and gas companies to challenge fracking bans and regulations through the back door. They would just need to have a subsidiary or an office in Canada,” warns Timothé Feodoroff, from the Transnational Institute.

Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) there already exists a precedent for the legal challenges to fracking bans and regulations that the new report warns could be the state of things to come in Europe and Canada. US energy firm, Lone Pine Resources Inc., is challenging a moratorium on fracking in the Canadian province of Quebec, suing the Canadian government for $250-million in compensation.

“The Lone Pine case shows that governments are highly vulnerable to investor-state lawsuits against precautionary environmental decisions affecting controversial energy projects,” says Stuart Trew, trade campaigner with the Council of Canadians.

“An investor-state dispute system in the proposed CETA would create needless risk to Canadian and European communities weighing the pros and cons of fracking,” adds Emma Lui, water campaigner with the Council of Canadians.

Canada is the sixth most sued country under this investor-rights system, with all cases filed under NAFTA, and currently faces more than $5-billion in compensation claims from U.S. investors. EU member states also have experience with investor-state disputes undermining green energy and environmental protection policies. Germany is currently being sued by energy company Vattenfall because of the country’s exit from nuclear power. Vattenfall is seeking €3.7 billion in compensation for lost profits.

“Members of the European Parliament should put the public interest ahead of investors’ and oppose an investor-state dispute settlement mechanism in CETA. It would pave the way for millions of Euros in compensation paid to big business by European taxpayers – for legislation in the public interest,” explained Pia Eberhardt, from Corporate Europe Observatory.

EU-Canada CETA negotiations were launched at a bilateral summit in May 2009. Several of the proposed chapters in the agreement will constrain the policy space of the EU and member states, putting effective environmental protection measures at risk of trade or investment disputes from Canada. Negotiators hope to conclude a deal before the summer.

Corporate Europe Observatory, the Council of Canadians and Transnational Institute are urging the EU, member states and the Canadian government not to include an investor–state dispute settlement system in CETA.

http://www.tni.org/briefing/right-say-no
http://corporateeurope.org/publications/right-say-no-eu-canada-trade-agreement-threatens-fracking-bans

__________________________

1. France, Bulgaria and the region of Cantabria in the North of Spain have already banned hydraulic fracturing on environmental concerns, while Romania, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Denmark and North-Rhine Westphalia in Germany have proclaimed moratoria. As in the Netherlands, the UK and Switzerland, projects in the listed countries with moratoria have been suspended until further environmental risk assessments are done. In Norway and Sweden, fracking has been declared economically unviable. Projects in Austria and Sweden have been cancelled for the same reason, though without legislative measures.

2. There are many oil and gas companies, with headquarters or offices in Canada, which have already begun exploring shale gas reserves in Europe, particularly in Poland. Though many of these firms are not strictly Canadian, a subsidiary based in Canada would allow them to challenge fracking bans and regulations through CETA. There is ample evidence that firms will shift their nationalities in order to profit from such a treaty.

Contact:

EU:

Pia Eberhardt, Corporate Europe Observatory (English/German)

pia@corporateeurope.org

+49-(0)221-78967810 or +49-(0)15256309102

Timothé Feodoroff, Transnational Institute (English/French)

timothe.feodoroff@tni.org

Hilde van der Pas, Transnational Institute (English/Dutch)

hildevanderpas@tni.org

+31(0)20-6626608

Canada:

Stuart Trew, Council of Canadians (English/French)

strew@canadians.org;

+1-(647)-222-9782

Emma Lui, Council of Canadians (English)

elui@canadians.org;

+1-(613)-233-4487 Ext. 239

Acceptance for shale development in Europe is growing – http://www.naturalgaseurope.com/shale-development-in-europe

__________________________________________________________________________________

STATEMENTS
__________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Statement on

Shale Gas Europe event “Public acceptance and the role of industry”

by Geert Decock, Policy officer Food & Water Europe.

Brussels – The oil and gas industry is going in overdrive in 2013 to sell shale gas and fracking to Brussels-based policy-makers and the European public. Today, Shale Gas Europe – an initiative by Chevron, Cuadrilla, Halliburton and others – is hosting an event in Brussels, entitled “Public acceptance and the role of industry”, as part of its campaign to improve the image of unconventional extraction methods. Despite such campaigns, shale gas continues to face an uphill battle for public acceptability in the EU. Surveys show that Europeans remain wary about the prospect of a shale gas project in their area. And early exploration efforts for shale gas have met stiff resistance from residents. There is a groundswell of public distrust vis-à-vis the reassuring messages of the oil and gas industry.  Food & Water Europe feels strengthened in its conviction that the EU can and must avoid the negative impacts associated with drilling thousands and thousands of shale gas wells across Europe. Europeans support an aggressive investment in renewables and energy efficiency, Brussels should listen.

Below is just a snapshot of the many voices, who reject shale gas as part of Europe’s energy mix. A Eurobarometer survey from January 2013 demonstrated that 74% of Europeans would be concerned, if a shale gas project came to their area. In a local referendum in November 2012 in Costinesti, Romania, where Chevron holds exploration licenses, 94,4% of the voters voted against hydraulic fracturing. In October 2012, thousands of Spaniards took to the streets in Santander and Vitoria to protest against exploration activities in Northern Spain.

“Shale gas is promoted as a potential game changer for Europe’s energy supply. Yet, many uncertainties remain”, said Food & Water Europe policy officer Geert De Cock. “The EU still lacks an updated EU-wide regulation for unconventional fossil fuels. The carbon footprint of natural gas remains an open question due to our limited understanding of the fugitive methane emissions involved in unconventional gas extraction. Governments have not drawn up plans on how to treat large volumes of heavily contaminated flowback water. In this context, it should come as a surprise that European citizens remain wary about unconventional gas and fracking”.

Food & Water Europe holds that European governments are putting the cart before the horse, by allowing exploration and extraction to go ahead without a detailed analysis of the risk and negative impacts of large-scale shale gas activities. Until all the climate, environmental and health impacts are adequately addressed, we believe that no further shale gas and other unconventional gas activities should proceed. We call on all Member States to suspend all ongoing activities, to abrogate permits, and to place a ban on any new projects, whether exploration or exploitation.

######

Food & Water Europe works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainable. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, we help people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping shared resources under public control.

Contact: Geert De Cock tel. +32 (0)2 893 10 45, mobile +32 (0)484 629.491, gdecock(at)fweurope.org

Geert Decock

Policy Officer – Food & Water Europe

Tel: +32 (0)2 893 10 45

Mobile: +32 (0)484 629 491

Email: gdecock@fweurope.org

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @FoodWaterEurope

Website: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/europe/

RIO 20 +

Presentation by DeborahRogers

http://www.r-cause.net/bans–moratoria-local–global.html

Summary of moratoria, bans etc: Summary world bans against fracking (pdf)

List of Fracking Bans and Moratoriums – juli 2012

Charting the Governments move on fracking – http://www.propublica.org/special/from-gung-ho-to-uh-oh-charting-the-governments-moves-on-fracking

Ecowatch calls for fracking ban in europe – http://ecowatch.org/2012/group-calls-for-fracking-ban-in-europe/

IEA set to ask G20 to regulate shale gas -  http://www.poten.com/NewsDetails.aspx?id=12060118  (6 Febr. 2012)

IEA golden ages of gas and golden rules on fracking – http://www.irishenvironment.com/reports/international-energy-agencys-golden-age-of-gas-and-golden-rules-on-fracking/

About Us

Natural Gas Europe provides essential daily reading on European gas matters.

As an independent organization, we provide relevant news, reports and interviews by our correspondents, contributors and media partners.

Our focus is on the development of natural gas resources and in particular, energy security and unconventional gas activities.

We strive to be neutral in our positioning and seek to present material that is divergent in viewpoints so our readers can decide for themselves.

http://www.naturalgaseurope.com/about

An earthquake is winding up under the crust of European soil—not a conventional seismic one, but an energy temblor, with the potential to transform the Continent’s energy market and alter the strategic parameters of Russian-European relations. The prospect of the commercialization of shale gas has already generated a high-stakes debate within the European Union about how fossil fuels, nuclear power, solar and renewables should factor in its energy mix.

http://the-american-interest.com/article-bd.cfm?piece=1168  (Jan/Febr. Issue)

Lessons from Bulgaria, the UK and New York State – fracking_publish lessons from bulgaria uk etc

Overview of political initiatives regarding unconventional gas extraction (translated version) - Overview of politicial initiatives

http://www.unkonventionelle-gasfoerderung.de/2011/09/23/uebersicht-der-politischen-initiativen-zur-unkonventionellen-gasfoerderung/#more-2167

Bulgaria’s Energy minister calls for common EU rules for shale gas exploration

________________________________________________________

EDUCATION

______________________________________________________________________________

RDA newsletter – forest fragmentation, ban gas drilling in our Natural forest

Youtube movie:Kevin Heatley a restoration http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21Jxw-HiEXE

Kevin Heatley is a senior scientist at Biohabitats, Inc. and tech consultant for Responsible Drilling Alliance in Wiliamspot, Pa. DA is a grassroots, all-volunteer education and advocacy coalition that seeks to educate its members and the public about deep shale gas drilling and all of its ramifications. Kevin Heatley works as a habitat restorer. His presentation draws on the experience in Louisiana where environmental impacts by the gas and oil industry have been severe, and the cost of remediation externalized. A very animated and passionate speaker, Kevin Heatley discussion of our situation in the Northeast builds upon Bill Belitskusapos;s discussion of the impacts on the Allegheny National Forest and contiguous Allegheny State Forest in New York. He was the thid speaker at the public forum “Fracking the Fingerlakes: The Rest of the Story” held in Hammondsport, NY on September 15, 2011.

Shale gas in  South Africa

___________________________________________________________________________________

FRACKING MAPS  and info (per country)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Fracking map world wide – http://twitpic.com/3o5xq2

________________________________________________________________________________
THE NETHERLANDS
_____________________________________________________________________________

Exploration licences in the Netherlands

Green: Shale gas

Yellow: Shale oil

Blue: Coal gas

Screenshot t aken from factsheet:

Factsheet Milieudefensie over Schaliegas September 2011- Risico’s onconventioneel aardgas.1

http://www.stopsteenkoolgas.nl/waargaswinning.html

Kijk bij uitzending gemist en zie hoe Brandpunt het dieptepunt in de journalistiek bereikt. Wouter Kurpershoek en Dirk Kagenaar maken reclame voor schaliegas en minister Kamp speelt nog even een slim spelletje door te benadrukken dat hij het onafhankelijk onderzoek afwacht. Terwijl hij al zijn strategie klaar heeft? of vreest hij toch de waarheid?
http://brandpunt.kro.nl/seizoenen/2013/afleveringen/07-04-2013/fragmenten/de_schalierevolutie
of http://www.uitzendinggemist.nl/afleveringen/1336190

——————————————————————–
Parts of Low Country Are Now Quake Country
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/27/world/europe/more-earthquakes-in-loppersum-the-netherlands.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Here’s interesting news from the Netherlands. A public discussion has started on earthquakes and soil subsidence generated by the rapid depletion of the Groningen gas field. This also may influence the discussion on shale gas.

Gas extraction started in the 70′s, and in the 80′s a series of small earthquakes occurred in this area, which was previously seismically inactive. Also subsidence occurred in this area, largely located at or below sea level and protected by dykes. The subsidence was foreseen and taken as a calculated risk,  but the a relation between the earthquakes and gas extraction was denied at first. Later, after a seismic study it was admitted that the quakes were related to gas extraction, but the quakes were said to remain below a magnitude of approximately 3.

Last summer several shocks occurred, the largest had a magnitude of 3.4, causing over a thousand damage reports in the area. Damage compensations is not generous and very bureaucratic.

This week a report was published by the State Mining Inspection, saying that the frequency and magnitude of the shocks will increase if the rate of gas extraction continues as it does at present. The Inspection advised to reduce the rate of gas extraction. The Minister of Economic Affairs, Mr. Kamp, decided not to follow the advice of his own mining inspection, saying that reduction of gas extraction would decrease state revenues substantially. Interestingly, when it comes to protests against shale gas, it is always said by the government that our top level mining inspection will prevent fracking companies from doing any harm to the environment.

Today the head of the local polder board warned in a radio interview that, with an increasing earthquake risk, also the dykes in the area are severly at risk. He painted a bleak scenario, with high water and water-saturated dykes, which would readily break when a quake of the predicted magnitude would occur. This would cause widespread flooding, including the area with gas wells, and the cities of Groningen and Delfzijl, the latter with large chemical industry complexes.

http://www.bnr.nl/nieuws/politiek/972292-1301/gaswinning-kan-leiden-tot-een-nationale-ramp?s_cid=blogitems

Shale Gas (probably) deposits in the Netherlands

Interesting Dutch news article.
It says that Heineken and other Dutch brewers are against shale gas exploration as long as it is not proven that it will not affect groundwater. Also Coca Cola en Pepsico are ‘sceptical’about drillings as long as guarantees for safety are not in place.

http://www.nu.nl/economie/3399879/bierbrouwers-keren-zich-schaliegaswinning.html

ANP: Trouw: Brouwers en bottelaars sluiten zich aan bijschaliegas-verzet
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:04:51 +0200

http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/4332/Groen/article/detail/3427185/2013/04/17/Brouwers-en-bottelaars-sluiten-zich-aan-bij-schaliegas-verzet.dhtml

In English by Google translate: http://translate.google.ie/translate?sl=nl&tl=en&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/4332/Groen/article/detail/3427185/2013/04/17/Brouwers-en-bottelaars-sluiten-zich-aan-bij-schaliegas-verzet.dhtml&authuser=0
Hans Marijnissen – 17/04/13, 08:41
© Trouw.
De grote bierbrouwers Heineken, Grolsch en Bavaria zijn tegen de winning van schaliegas zolang niet is bewezen dat het Nederlandse grondwater onaangetast blijft. Ook frisdrankfabrikanten als Coca Cola en Pepsico zeggen ‘sceptisch’ over de boringen te zijn, zolang veiligheidsgaranties ontbreken.*

The three brewers and coca cola and pepsico are sceptic to fracking

De bierbouwers en frisdrankfabrikanten omarmen hiermee de zorgen van waterleidingbedrijf Vitens, dat vorige week in Trouw waarschuwde dat bij boringen naar schaliegas de Nederlandse drinkwatervoorraden onherstelbaar beschadigd kunnen raken.

The brewers agree with the water supplier VITENS that warned the government that fracking could cause irreversible damage to the aquifer.

Bij een grootschalige calamiteit kan zelfs de levering van drinkwater in gevaar komen.

10.000′s people could be affected/have no water for a long period, if a catastrophe happened

Tienduizenden mensen komen dan langdurig zonder water te zitten.

Underground water is the most important ingredient for Beer and Soft drinks
Grondwater vormt het belangrijkste ingrediënt voor bier en frisdrank. De
bescherming van het grondwater is voor ons daarom een absolute prioriteit, aldus Taco Juriaanse van Nederlandse Brouwers, waarbij nagenoeg alle bierfabrikanten zijn aangesloten. “Schaliegaswinning en andere activiteiten in de bodem mogen geen aantasting van het grondwater tot gevolg hebben. Zolang dat niet is bewezen, zien we de winning van schaliegas met zorg tegemoet.”

De Nederlandse vereniging Frisdranken, Waters, Sappen (FWS) onder Leiding van ex-milieu-staatssecretaris Van Geel, laat zich in dezelfde bewoordingen uit. “Schaliegaswinning en andere activiteiten in de bodem mogen geen verontreiniging van het grondwater tot gevolg hebben. Zolang dat niet is bewezen, zijn we sceptisch over de winning van schaliegas”, aldus een woordvoerder. Naast Coca-Cola en Pepsico zijn grote spelers als Hero, FrieslandCampina en Danone bij de FWS aangesloten.

*Fracken*
Om bij het schaliegas te komen, moet door de watervoerende aardlagen heen worden geboord. Deze lagen staan vaak met elkaar in verbinding. Bij winning van schaliegas worden op grote diepte, onder hoge druk grote hoeveelheden water, zand en chemicaliën in steenlagen gespoten. Door dit zogeheten fracken ontstaan scheurtjes waaruit het gas vrijkomt.

Mocht daarbij iets mis gaan, dan is de verontreiniging van de Nederlandse watervoorraad een ‘onomkeerbaar proces’, aldus topvrouw Lieve Declercq van Vitens, Nederlands grootste waterleverancier, vorige week in Trouw. Het waterbedrijf vindt net als de brouwers en de risdrankfabrikanten dan ook dat er niet naar schaliegas moet worden geboord, voordat alle risico’s in kaart zijn gebracht en calamiteiten uitgesloten.

De Rijksoverheid heeft al meerdere opsporingsvergunningen voor onconventionele fossiele brandstoffen’ afgegeven, die ook voorzien in proefboringen. Zo liggen er vergunningen klaar voor de Noordoostpolder en het Brabantse Boxtel. Daarnaast zijn er aanvragen gedaan voor vergunningen in Noord-Holland, Utrecht, Flevoland en Gelderland. Er geldt echter een boorverbod totdat er een onderzoek is verschenen dat in opdracht van het ministerie van economische zaken is uitgevoerd naar de risico’s. Dat wordt vóór 1 juli verwacht.

Het debat over schaliegas in de Tweede Kamer dat vandaag zou worden gehouden, is in verband met het sociaal akkoord uitgesteld tot volgende
week.

The debate about shale gas that should take place today is postponed to next week

Ook na historische overeenkomst duurt verdeeldheid over schaliegas voorthttp://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/4332/Groen/article/detail/3417074/2013/03/28/Ook-na-historische-overeenkomst-duurt-verdeeldheid-over-schaliegas-voort.dhtml

———————————————————————-
Last Tuesday  19th Feb. 2013 TNO, a Dutch research organisation, launched an ‘argument map for shale gas production’ at the European Parliament. Below the press release from the event.

According to a Dutch campaigner, TNO is “a contract research organisation desperately claiming to be independent”. It also features on the Shale Gas Information Platform. http://www.shale-gas-information-platform.org/areas/the-debate/shale-gas-in-the-netherlands.html

TNO wants to support a robust transition to a sustainable energy supply and, to this end, TNO invests in environmentally-friendly alternatives as well as commits to the optimum and as green as possible use of fossil fuels in this transition to sustainable solutions. This is in line with the Energy Council’s recommendation. So as a relatively green fossil fuel, gas is a key TNO focus.

URL: http://www.tno.nl/content.cfm?context=overtno&content=persbericht&laag1=37&item_id=201302190007

Voorlopig geenproefboringen naar steenkool gas in Oost Nederland – http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/4332/Groen/article/detail/3036740/2011/11/16/Voorlopig-geen-proefboringen-naar-steenkoolgas-in-Oost-Nederland.dhtml

The test drilling for coal gas in the eastern Netherlands are provisionally put on the back burner. The Australian firm Queensland Gas Company has for some unknown reason exploration license revoked for Gelderland and Overijssel, as the Ministry of Economy, Agriculture and Innovation announced.

The Gelderland provincial executive Annemieke Slow (D66) called the decision a godsend for the people and the environment. The Gelderland Environmental Federation hopes that the plans for similar drilling for shale gas in Noord-Brabant are now lied on the table

Drilling for coal and shale gas has been controversial because experience in other countries indicate major risks to the environment. Thus, during examination of the American Cornell University it was recently proved  that the extraction of shale large amounts of methane released. Methane is one of the most powerful greenhouse gases. The Rhine and IJssel Water Board is concerned that the coal gas drilling to the water table changes and is contaminated by radioactive particles.

It is not yet known whether other companies the concession of Queensland Gas Company to undertake. The Gelderland Environmental Federation believes that in any case become less attractive than before, now became widely visible public opposition.

Factsheet from the Environmental Defence: Factsheet Milieudefensie over Schaliegas September 2011- Risico’s onconventioneel aardgas.1

Do scroll to the bottom for lots of useful links, also in English!

Recommendations to update existing mining legislation for

unconventional gas extraction (translated from factsheet)

Recent reports presented to President Barack Obama in the United States[1]

and to the European parliament[2]

recommend adapting the regulations for oil and gas drilling to the new

situation.

The following recommendations, despite the strict regulations are also

applicable for Ireland:

• To prohibit the injection of (some) chemicals deep underground so that it remains suitable for other uses, such as geothermal energy (geothermal power generation).
• To completely and timely publish the type and quantity of chemicals used.
• To license residual contaminated process water in the subsoil.
• To check the quality of groundwater before, during and after.
• To take mandatory micro-seismic surveys to the direction and magnitude of the “fracks” in order to control and prevent earthquakes.
• To enlarge a mining compensation fund for potential earthquakes, methane leakages and contamination of groundwater.
• To mandatory monitor underground and mining installations for  methane emissions
• To implement a water management plan to minimize the use of water.
• To outline the trajectory of the horizontal bore in the license
• To establish a Best Available Technique Reference
• To make a Life Cycle Analysis
• To use to electric motors (instead of diesel generators) for fracking.
• To naming sites (Special Areas of Conservation, water extraction) where oil rigs and / or drilling is prohibited.

 Earthquake in the Netherlands due to HF in Germany – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29PhINNiR5U

http://www.gelderlander.nl/voorpagina/nijmegen/9443742/Aardbeving-van-45-op-schaal-van-Richter-schokt-Nederland.ece

http://www.nu.nl/binnenland/2610837/aardbeving-van-45-in-nederland.html

Judgment: no test drilling to shale gas in Boxtel – http://www.brabantsdagblad.nl/regios/9740837/Voorlopig-geen-proefboring-schaliegas-Boxtel.ece

Official court judgment – Uitspraak__2173189a

Google translation:

DEN BOSCH – For the moment in the town of Boxtel can not be drilled to shale gas. The administrative court in Den Bosch decided Tuesday that the city could not grant a temporary exemption to allow drilling.

The case was brought by residents and by Rabobank The bank has in the vicinity of the bores a significant data center. The bank found that the municipality Boxtel couldnot  grant a temporary exemption because the exploratory drilling is by definition not temporary. If gas is found, the aim is gas extraction. The judge joined in with this.

A temporary exemption from the zoning should only be granted if the activities within 5 years are definitely stopped.De court ordered the Boxtel to make a new decision. The municipality may appeal to the Council of State. The company Cuadrilla who will perform the test drilling, was intending to start with the drilling in early 2012

Shale gas is blowing up our ground and our health.http://www.hetkanwel.net/2011/09/28/schaliegas-blaast-onze-grond-en-onze-gezondheid-op/

Gaswinning -  http://ubuntuone.com/6GKo5UwxuPQ06LWZsqB0CI  (Febr. 2012)

——————————————————————————-
Here’s interesting news from the Netherlands. A public discussion has started on earthquakes and soil subsidence generated by the rapid depletion of the Groningen gas field. This also may influence the discussion on shale gas.

Gas extraction started in the 70′s, and in the 80′s a series of small earthquakes occurred in this area, which was previously seismically inactive. Also subsidence occurred in this area, largely located at or below sea level and protected by dykes. The subsidence was foreseen and taken as a calculated risk,  but the a relation between the earthquakes and gas extraction was denied at first. Later, after a seismic study it was admitted that the quakes were related to gas extraction, but the quakes were said to remain below a magnitude of approximately 3.

Last summer several shocks occurred, the largest had a magnitude of 3.4, causing over a thousand damage reports in the area. Damage compensations is not generous and very bureaucratic.

This week a report was published by the State Mining Inspection, saying that the frequency and magnitude of the shocks will increase if the rate of gas extraction continues as it does at present. The Inspection advised to reduce the rate of gas extraction. The Minister of Economic Affairs, Mr. Kamp, decided not to follow the advice of his own mining inspection, saying that reduction of gas extraction would decrease state revenues substantially. Interestingly, when it comes to protests against shale gas, it is always said by the government that our top level mining inspection will prevent fracking companies from doing any harm to the environment.

Today the head of the local polder board warned in a radio interview that, with an increasing earthquake risk, also the dykes in the area are severly at risk. He painted a bleak scenario, with high water and water-saturated dykes, which would readily break when a quake of the predicted magnitude would occur. This would cause widespread flooding, including the area with gas wells, and the cities of Groningen and Delfzijl, the latter with large chemical industry complexes.

http://www.bnr.nl/nieuws/politiek/972292-1301/gaswinning-kan-leiden-tot-een-nationale-ramp?s_cid=blogitems

Dubieus Dubai - http://ubuntuone.com/7g3kgHnjQqjrTMWknoJIyA (Febr. 2012)

==============================================================================

GERMANY

http://www.unkonventionelle-gasfoerderung.de/bekannte-foerderorte/

Fracking in unkonventionellen Erdgas-Lagerstatten in NRW – http://ubuntuone.com/4sd8qSHuLHNnRDuLIHxPN1

and more: http://www.umwelt.nrw.de/ministerium/presse/presse_aktuell/presse120907_a.php

Short Federal study in English -  http://ubuntuone.com/6SehYplG1F84JIMWR06RNZ

Studies related to HF and the impact on the environment, tourism, etc. (9 Sept 2012)
Exxon Mobile Vor studie – http://ubuntuone.com/4TPLxHBGFetXMaI6LPQHGp

First there is the Exxon-financed study of scientist who have not been “in touch” with
the oil and gas extracting companies/industry before, which is the reason why Exxon
claims that this study can regarded as independent. At least it comes to the result that
the fracking technology cannot be seen as harmless and that further research and
clarification is necessary before fracking can be used in Germany on a wider scale.
http://dialog-erdgasundfrac.de/sites/dialog-erdgasundfrac.de/files/Ex_HydrofrackingRiskAssessment_120611.pdf

Second there is the federal study of the “Umweltbundesamt” issued three days ago which
might go unnoticed because the expectations all focussed on the NRW study. But indeed it might also be helpful for your activities in Ireland as the scientists refer to EU law which is above national law and cannot just be neglected in Ireland.
http://www.bmu.de/files/pdfs/allgemein/application/pdf/gutachten_fracking_2012.pdf

There is even an abstract in English included:
Abstract
We examine the water-related environmental impacts and the risks for human health and the environment that could potentially be caused by hydraulic fracturing (fracking) during exploration and exploitation of unconventional natural gas reservoirs in Germany. This
study covers both scientific-technical aspects and the existing mining and environmental regulations. Both were analyzed with respect to consistency, differences and current gaps of knowledge and lack of relevant information.
After a general introduction, this study is divided into four sections: We first focus on the description of geospatial conditions, technical aspects and the chemical additives employed by hydraulic fracturing (Part A) and the existing regulatory and administrative framework (Part B), before we conduct a risk and deficit analysis (Part C) and derive recommendations for further actions and proceedings (Part
The foundation of a sound risk analysis is a description of the current system, the relevant effect pathways and their interactions. We describe known and assumed unconventional natural gas reservoirs in Germany based on publicly available information. We present
qualitatively the relevant system interactions for selected geosystems and assess potential technical and geological effect pathways. With regard to the technical aspects, we describe the principles of rock mechanics and provide an overview of the technical fracturing process. In terms of groundwater protection, the key focus is on borehole completion, modelling of fracture propagation and the longterm
stability of the borehole (incl. cementation). The injected fracturing fluids contain proppants and several additional chemical additives. The evaluation of fracturing fluids used to
date in Germany shows that even in newer fluids several additives were used which exhibit critical properties and/or for which an assessment of their behaviour and effects in the environment is not possible or limited due to lack of the underlying database. We propose an assessment method which allows for the estimation of the hazard potential of specific fracturing fluids, formation water and the flowback based on legal thresholds and guidance values as well as on human- and ecotoxicologically derived no-effect concentrations. The assessment of five previously used or prospectively planed fracturing fluids shows that these selected fluids exhibit a high or a medium to high hazard potential.
The flowback redrawn after the pressure release contains fracturing fluids, formation water, and possibly reaction products. Since the formation water can also exhibit serious hazard potentials, environmentally responsible techniques for the treatment and disposal of the flowback is of primary importance. With respect to groundwater protection, regulatory requirements result from both the mining and the water law. The water law requires the examination, whether concerns can be excluded that hydraulic fracturing and the disposal of flowback may cause adverse groundwater effects. This requires a separate authorization according to the water law. Due to the primacy of the environmental impact assessment directive (EIA Directive, “UVP-Richtlinie”) over the national EIA mining regulation (“UVP V-Bergbau”) it has already to be assessed in a case-by-case examination, whether an environmental impact assessment is required. The previous administrative practices thus exhibit certain lack of enforcement.
Regulatory deficits exist concerning the application of the requirements of the EIA Directive and concerning some uncertainties in applying specific terms of the water law (groundwater, requirement of and conditions for authorization). We recommend constituting a mandatory environmental impact assessment for all fracking projects in federal law, with a derogation clause for the federal states. The public participation required in the EIA Directive should be extended by a project-accompanying component to improve public access to the assessment of knowledge that is generated after the initial authorization of the project. The examination of the legal requirements should be ensured by clarification and revision of an integrated authorization procedure under the auspices of an environmental authority subordinated to the Ministry of the Environment or by an integration of the mining authority in the environmental administration.
A risk analysis is always site-specific, but must also consider large-scale groundwater flow conditions, which generally requires numerical models. We provide considerations for application of a site-specific generic risk analysis, which integrate both the hazard potential of the fluids and the specific relevance of each effect pathways in the geosystem.
In summary we conclude that basic knowledge and data are currently missing preventing a profound assessment of the risks and their technical controllability (e.g., the properties of the deep geosystem, the behaviour and effects of the deployed chemical additives, etc.).
In this setting we propose several recommendations for further action, which we specify for each of the aspects geosystem, technical guidelines and chemical additives.

Third there is the NRW study now: (see top of this article)
The essential thing seems to be that there is a strategy implied to delay the endeavours of all those companies who want to start drilling and test-fracking as soon as possible. The study suggests that if at all the procedure must be organised in steps at the end of which the open question has to be answered if and possibly how the following step might look like.

Furthermore the study seems to deal with all the known risk thoroughly.
With this study in hand the NRW government can now postpone drilling application
which include fracking activities on a legally safe basis.

Naturfreunde – ShalegasEN

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BELGIUM
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No good news once again, unfortunately: Shell has just announced today they were planning to start exploring Belgian potential.
You can see a few articles below that refer to this announcement. It’s all in Dutch but Google Translation works quite well.

http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=DMF20130206_00459330&word=schaliegas

http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/996/Economie/article/detail/1574684/2013/02/06/Shell-opent-jacht-op-Belgisch-schaliegas.dhtml

Update by Friends of the Earth Belgium
Last year we found out that Australian cbm company DART energy had got together with regional investor LRM to investigate coal bed methane potential in Flanders. Since then, things have been fairly quiet on the planning front, but LRM finally submitted an application for a coal bed methane exploration license at the end of last month.

We got hold of a copy of the coal bed methane exploration license application yesterday, following freedom of information requests, with fairly big commercially sensitive chunks cut out.
And today we hear that Shell and some of the other shale gas big boys are interested in exploring the shale gas potential in Flanders and also in Liege, Wallony, which has stepped everything up a level, as until now it was only coal bed methane and continued promises of no fracking, and relatively small players with a 10million budget, while Shell is talking 100million and taking the front page on one the biggest selling broadsheets.

It is also interesting because in Flanders the government proactively passed a law specifically to cover unconventional gas drilling developments, the deep underground decree, which came into force in 2011, while in Wallony any licensing will be happening under previous legislation.

Timescale wise they are talking about initial exploration permits being requested after they’ve completed their desktop research, which they estimate will take four to six months.

Apparently there are only two questions to answer : where the best places to drill, and how much money they can make out of it. Everything is being framed in terms of potential, which has to be explored, rather than whether we want this technology at all.

So there is a lot of work to do. (Er is veel werk aan de winkel!)
Friends of the Earth Flanders and Brussels is asking for a ban on unconventional gas exploration and an open and public debate about the issue.

We’d like to hear especially from other groups opposing Shell and Wintershall (German company owned  by BASF) and Cuadrilla, the other shale gas companies mentioned in the article. It seems that another seven companies have expressed an interest, and asked for geological sampling to be done, but we need to do some more research first to work out who they are.

Nicola Freeman, Stop Steenkoolgas Campaign Coordinator

Friends of the Earth Flanders & Brussels
www.friendsoftheearth.be
www.facebook.com/StopSteenkoolgas
======================================================================================

UK

Fracking map of the UK  taken from: – http://energybulletin.net/stories/2011-10-11/fracking-and-coalbed-methane-unconventional-gas-uk
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SCOTLAND
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Dart Energy are the leading unconventional gas player in Scotland.  A Sunday Herald investigation on the weekend revealed that the calorific content of the gas from their flagship Airth coal bed methane project is too poor to feed directly into the grid. It seems as though they will have to boost it by adding propane, which will damage profit margins and make the project even more unpopular with locals.

Story below plus links to coverage of Dart’s financial woes and misleading public re fracking.
cheers

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/environment/revealed-secret-scots-fracking-plans.20661744

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/burning-issue-poor-gas-quality-could-end-scots-drilling-plan.20723754
http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/business/company-news/dart-energy-scraps-ipo-and-sheds-jobs.20683286
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Controversial gas developer Dart Energy fights to stay afloat
reporter Mary Church

02 April 2013
Dart Energy, the leading unconventional gas developer in Scotland, has cut 70% of its global workforce in an effort to stay afloat as the company’s share price continues to plummet.

In a statement issued today (2 April) the troubled Australian company announced an aggressive strategy to cut costs that includes slashing over 100 jobs, suspending operations in New South Wales and re-focusing its efforts on coalbed methane and shale projects in the UK.

Dart’s share prices have lost a third of their value in the last 6 months, and are today trading at a low of 6 cents.

Friends of the Earth Scotland Campaigns Co-ordinator Mary Church said:

“Dart Energy have been in rough waters for some time and this looks like the last desperate moves of a company that is about to go under.

“It is ironic that the company are telling Australian shareholders that their fracking and coalbed methane plans in the UK will save them, given that their proposals at Airth are deeply controversial and the planning decision has already been delayed twice.

“Communities living near Dart’s development at Airth will wonder whether this company is really up to the job of delivering the controversial coalbed methane project, and particularly whether they will be around in the coming years to deal with the clean up if anything goes wrong.”

The news comes following allegations that Dart are misleading the public or shareholders about its plans to frack for shale gas in central Scotland. Dart Energy told the Australian Stock Exchange that they plan to exploit shale gas in central Scotland while telling communities and planning officials in Scotland that they have no plans to frack.

Church continued:

“Yet again Dart are telling international investors that they will frack for shale gas, while telling Scottish communities that they will not. Dart cannot get away with this kind of duplicity.”

Dart Energy has had to suspend its activities at Fullerton Cove in Australia following the New South Wales Government introducing a ban on all unconventional gas activity within 2km of residential areas. The development faced strong community opposition and was recently the subject of a legal battle. If a similar ban were in place in Scotland Dart’s development at Airth could not go ahead.

Friends of the Earth Scotland are calling for a ban on all unconventional gas extraction and fracking because of its devastating impacts on the climate and local environment.

====================================================================================

POLAND

POLAND
A fresh new story about fracking in Poland. It just ran last night on PBS NewsHour in the US. http://youtu.be/HkDRpVg2wls   (May 2013)

Click on the image to enlarge

Poland’s Proposed Shale Gas Law To Be Adopted In 2013

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/11/poland-shale-gas-law-regulation-fracking_n_2454572.html
AP  |  By By Monika ScislowskaPosted: 01/11/2013 6:42 am EST  |  Updated: 01/11/2013 10:51 am EST
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland will likely adopt a much-awaited law to regulate shale gas production this year, opening the way for the potentially lucrative sector to kick into gear, Treasury Minister Mikolaj Budzanowski said Friday.
Poland has been the most aggressive country in Europe in pursuing shale gas, a form of natural gas that is trapped in porous shale rock and requires new technologies to extract. It has been produced in the United States since late 1990s, but environmental activists say the extraction process — called hydraulic rock fracturing — is highly polluting.
International and Polish companies are exploring for the gas in Poland but are waiting for the new law — which will regulate taxes on production, terms for starting business and distribution of gas — before they commit to a longer-term strategy.
“Foreign companies are undoubtedly waiting for the final version of the law, which should be adopted this year and take effect in 2015,” Budzanowski told The Associated Press in an interview. “It will certainly give a big impulse for intensifying gas exploration efforts in Poland.”
A preliminary draft of the new law, which was demanded by the European Union, calls for a combination of taxes totaling about 40 percent on financial gains made by shale gas producers. But companies say it’s the details in the new law that matter. Without its finalization, they cannot plan ahead.
“Companies are slowing down work and waiting to see whether the new law, especially the tax, will leave enough commercial space,” said Pawel Poprawa, an expert on shale gas with The Energy Studies Institute in Warsaw.
The government hopes shale gas will boost the economy, reduce dependence on Russian gas imports and cut energy prices. The State Geological Institute estimates Poland’s shale gas deposits may secure production for at least 25 years.
The first commercial shale gas in Poland is expected to be produced on a small scale in early 2015. Shale gas will likely become a major energy source for Poland by 2020, but coal — which Poland is rich in — will remain the main source for another 50 years while technology efforts will focus on reducing carbon gas emission, Budzanowski said.
Some 35 exploratory shale gas wells have been drilled so far, but the findings are “not always exciting,” Poprawa said. More than 100 wells are needed for an assessment of the deposits.
In the United States, production of shale gas has brought down gas prices on the U.S. domestic market to under $100 per 1,000 cubic meters, about a third of what gas costs in most of Europe, where the chief provider is Russia. Moscow charges Poland above the European average thanks to a contract between the two countries that dates back to 1993.
Regarding environmental concerns, Budzanowski said Poland’s mining and research institutes should be involved in developing new, environmentally-friendly forms of shale gas extraction that could be also used in other countries.
In France, Germany and Bulgaria, environmental concerns were behind recent decisions to block or suspend exploration for shale gas. But countries like Russia or China are pursuing shale gas programs.

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/01/27/5143907/poland-stumbles-as-shale-gas-industry.html

1 Berkeley Street London W1J 8DJ United Kingdom T +44 (0)20 7016 8823 www.huttonenergy.com

Hutton Energy p.l.c. awarded new Polish shale gas concessions

Raises net Polish shale acreage to over 1.1 million

September 2011 – London, UK – Hutton Energy p.l.c. (“Hutton”) has been awarded two new concessions in Poland this month totalling 506,072 acres. Following Hutton’s farm in to ExxonMobil in August, the additional concessions raise Hutton’s net acreage in Poland to approximately 1.1 million acres, giving the Company one of the largest shale acreage positions in the country.

The new concessions give Hutton exposure to Carboniferous shales as well as numerous tight sands that have already been shown to contain substantial gas columns.

The Oleśnica (1,160 km²/286,642 acres) and Wieluń (887.7km2/219,430 acres) licences, both located in south-western Poland, have multiple unconventional play potential in Carboniferous shales and tight sands, as well as conventional targets in Permian structures. Over 150 metre thick shales with TOC values reaching 3.5% are anticipated within the concessions. Additionally thick gas filled tight sands are likely to be encountered. The play concepts will be tested in nearby licences by oil and gas exploration company San Leon, which has three wells planned in 2011-2012.

Hutton CEO Keith Lough commented: “These blocks, along with Hutton’s existing South Prabuty block in the Baltic Basin and its 49% joint venture with ExxonMobil’s 1.1 million acres in the Podlasie Basin give Hutton an extensive, high potential portfolio in Poland. We expect to make further announcements shortly of further growth and diversification in our shale portfolio.”

Over the next six months, Hutton will be progressing its licenses through the fraccing of the Siennica well with ExxonMobil, finalising well location for the Baltic Basin concession and acquiring seismic on the new licenses.

About Hutton Energy

Hutton Energy plc is the parent company of a group of subsidiary companies set up to focus on exploring and developing unconventional hydrocarbon resources in Europe, specifically targeting areas that are prospective for shale gas. Current activity spans Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic, France, Spain and the Netherlands.

For further information, please contact Anna Maio (Corporate Communications Manager) on anna.maio@huttonenergy.com or +44 (0)7815 683 911 Keith Lough CEO on +44 (0)7799 416468 or keith.lough@huttonenergy.com.

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Getting to Know You (in Poland)

Experts typically mention the lack of drilling rigs as one of the potential obstacles to the development of shale gas in Europe.

For Poland, whose efforts to produce natural gas out of its shale basins may in part have to do with a desire to wean itself from Russian gas, a private Russian enterprise, Eurasia Drilling Company (EDC) Ltd. might be able to help out.

That’s an understatement. EDC is the leading onshore & offshore provider of oil & gas development and exploration well drilling services in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). On the market since 2004 following its acquisition of the in-house drilling division of OAO Lukoil, EDC’s share of the onshore drilling market in Russia is 24%. Last year, the company entered a strategic alliance with Schlumberger in the CIS. As the only Russian offshore drilling service contractor, EDC also constructs oil and gas E&P wells in the Caspian Sea.

Kim Kruschwitz, Vice President, Marketing and Investor Relations at EDC provided an introduction to the company to attendees at the Global Shale Gas Plays Forum in Krakow, Poland.

“We’re new to most of you,” he admitted, explaining: “We’re here to learn about the potential of shale gas in Poland. We would certainly like to participate in this market, which we think has huge potential.”

Mr. Kruschwitz said that EDC was the largest drilling company in Russia and consequently in the Eastern Hemisphere.

“In addition to our successful organic growth historically, lately we have announced some acquisitions,” he said. “We currently have a fleet of 477 rigs, and we have an ongoing investment program to add new rigs from our suppliers. So far this year we’ve completed two acquisitions, adding about 70 land rigs and a second offshore jack-up.”

Last year, he said, EDC had 24% of the Russian market, which was second biggest land drilling market in the whole world. “Last year we drilled 4.1 million meters and this year we expect to drill 4.8 million.”

“We started off in Russia and that remains our primary operational area,” said Kruschwitz, who showed a map of the company’s activities in Russia and Central Asia. He also noted EDC had operations in Kaliningrad, which was close to Poland.

Incidentally, a new deep long well was being drilled in Kaliningrad, he reported, with some suppliers coming from Poland.

He also pointed out EDC’s commitment to QHSE, explaining “We consider ourselves a Russian based company with a western attitude. We continue to outperform the industry average on major safety indices.”

Then, Mr. Kruschwitz showed photographs of offshore operations on the Caspian Sea where EDC is active in the Russian, Kazakh and Turkmen sectors, and said that EDC was building a new jack-up rig to supplement the two it already owns and operates.

He also spoke of EDC’s onshore operations and highlighted the range of depths that  EDC’s onshore drilling rig fleet is capable of reaching.

“Most of the wells we drill are from multi-well pads,” he said, “which are useful in restricted access areas, such as densely populated areas, and to keep your costs down. Generally we are contracted as an integrated service provider, providing rig and crew plus all associated drilling services.”

Showing a rig in nearby Kaliningrad, he said: “Horizontal drilling is becoming very important in Russia: last year we drilled about 131 horizontal wells and this year we’ll complete about 245. Rigs capable of drilling these type of wells are the style you’d want to see in Poland.”

December 26th, 2011 7:18pm Posted In: Technology, Natural Gas, Horizontal Drilling, Russia, Turkmenistan

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Poland Presses State Entities to Co-operate in Shale Gas Exploration

Poland’s treasury minister is pressing Polish state-linked companies to work together in shale gas exploration.

Mikolaj Budzanowski told Rzeczpospolita what he would like to see companies controlled by the Polish treasury join together in efforts for local shale gas extraction.

The minister suggested that gas monopoly PGNiG and oil refiners PKN Orlen and Lotos, team with utilitiesPGE, Tauron, Enea and Energa in exploration efforts, with the ultities accessing the non-conventional gas to produce energy.

“It’s thus not only about such companies as Lotos, PKN Orlen or PGNiG, but also the whole energy sector, or generally speaking about using the synergies between producing gas and its usage in the energy sector.”

The deputy chief executive of Polish utilities company Enea said the state-controlled entity has already made early investigations into Polish shale gas market.

“From the very beginning when interest grew in the subject of shale exploration in Poland, Enea was exploring the market,” deputy chief executive Krzysztof Zborowski told Reuters.

“We are interested and also considering the ways of participating in the process of shale gas extraction, but it’s too early for details.”

December 29th, 2011 6:41pm Posted In: Shale Gas, Natural Gas, News By Country, Poland

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Polish Shale gas estimates likely to be recalculated- http://www.naturalgaseurope.com/polish-shale-gas-estimates-likely-to-drop (Febr. 2012)

Poland wakes up …. http://fracastrophe.com/?page_id=37

Exxon Shale failure – http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-31/exxon-says-two-polish-shale-wells-were-not-commercially-viable.html  (31 January 2012)

Poland gives Green light to massive fracking efforts – http://pacificfreepress.com/news/1/10855-killing-water-tables-world-wide-poland-embracing-fracking.html  4 February 2012)

Poland: licensing process frozen-  http://www.naturalgaseurope.com/poland-licensing-process-frozen  (9 February 2012)

Unconventional intrigue in Poland

Unconventional fracking, by way of powerful inter-linked diesel engine brute forces, is not just about cracking up geological shales far underground. It’s much more than that! It’s about using other unconventional brute forces to crack governments, communities and people! In other words, in order to frack the earth, it means fracking everything! (From the Preface and Executive Summary)

This report contains a title page, tribute page to Mark Lombardi, preface, table of contents, executive summary, 15 chapters, a conclusion and appendixes. Due to its sheer length and size (in megabytes), and hundreds of images, maps and illustrations, it is divided into pdf downloadable separate section and chapter files (see below). Each divisional chapter / section is prefaced by the report’s information title and the contents of that chapter / section.

http://www.bctwa.org/FrkPol-FrackEU.html

Seismic research, without permission from land owners – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rQzFK_9Qk4

Authorities hope Documentary on shale will soften protests in Kashubia - www.naturalgaseurope.com/poland-shale-protests-kashubia

March 2012

Map of kashubia -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kaszuby_wg_J.Mordawskiego_1999.png

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laws, regulations, controls  on one side -reality on the other..

_________________________________________________________________________

DENMARK

_______________________________________________________________________

2012.01.22_Obstacles to Danish Wind Power_NYTimes1

Read also:

http://www.naturalgaseurope.com/denmark-hoping-for-shale-gas-4588

Comment:

That’s indeed quite an interesting (though disappointing) article,

especially after the wave of articles that what written recently about

the Danish government’s will to “generate half the nation’s power from

wind within eight years”…

26 th October 2012:  Information about the current situation on shale gas in Denmark (in Danish):
http://frederikshavn.dk/Sider/Skifergas.aspx?topemne=9746ec49-3fc4-49f6-b97e-6af0721e2212&emne=4827400e-296f-426b-b322-75760ece0eab
Signatures are being collected (both on paper and electronically) to be send to Frederikshaven Municipality, where Total recently received permission to drill two water wells, which will support the exploration process.

More links:
http://www.skifergasnejtak.dk/

http://www.skifergas.dk/en.aspx
___________________________________________________________________________________

 FRANCE
____________________________________________________________________________________

US biotech giant guilty of poisoning French farmer -  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/us-biotech-giant-guilty-of-poisoning-french-farmer-6917478.html  (15 February 2012)

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BULGARIA

________________________________________________________________________

 BULGARIA
Updates of the ‘shale gas’ situation in Bulgaria  March 2013
Received from Borislav Sandov [borislav.sandov@gmail.com]

Concerning the legal acts on the gas & oil Bulgaria has an official ban for shale gas exploration and extraction made by the Parliament on 18th of January 2012. The same decision was changed on 14th of June by the Parliament in the most important point number 1, but the text is even strictest and now we have an official ban of all the unconventional gas and oil.

As you probably know, in the beginning of this year the Bulgarian Parliament vote for a ban on the shale gas exploration and extraction, under the huge pressure from the civil society. Just a month after the ban the Parliament establish a temporary commission for ”good practices in the mining sector….long name…bla,bla…” only with the idea to change the moratorium (argued that the point 1 is in fact ban of extraction of the conventional gas). After 4 months and only two sessions of the commission they only took a decision for a new text of point.1 which was in fact an ‘open door’ for fracking. Then another one month they didn’t suggest it to the Parliament, because of the disagreement from our side. And then on 13th of June they put it in the next day parliamentarian session. Our reaction was immediate and we demanded for some changes. It was happened at the same time where thousands of activists blockade the main street of the capital, as a reaction of the new forestry act and the ruling party was under pressure. The situation and our activities convince them for voting on this final text of point 1:

Prohibited the application of the technology of hydraulic rupture / fraking / or any other technology which pressed a mixture of fluids (gels or liquefied gas), chemical additives and / or fluid, mechanical and / or organic fillers in drilling wells causing the creation of new formation and / or expansion of existing natural cracks or fissure systems in all sedimentary formations, including coal seams for exploration and production of oil and natural gas.

On Bulgarian:
1. Забранява се прилагането на технологията на хидравлично разкъсване /фракинг/ или всяка друга технология, която представлява нагнетяване на смес от течности (гелове или втечнен газ), химически добавки и/или флуиди, механични и/или органични пълнители в сондажи, водещи до образуване на нови и/или разширяване на съществуващи естествени пукнатини или пукнатинни системи във всякакви седиментни формации, включително въглищни пластове с цел проучване и добив на нефт и природен газ.

May be parliament still didn’t realized, but the text of point 1 is in fact a ban of all unconventional gas and oil extraction. Is all the unconventional gas is causing the creation of new formation and / or expansion of existing natural cracks or fissure systems? In our opinion and expertise – yes!

REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

41ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

DECISION
for ban on the application of the hydraulic fracturing technology for exploration and/or extraction of gas and oil on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria
The National Assembly, pursuant to art. 86, par. 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria and art. 78 of the Interior regulations for the organization and the work of the National Assembly and proceeding from the principle of precaution regarding the protection of public health and the environment

HAS DECIDED:
(1. Prohibits the application of the hydraulic fracturing technology, hydrofracking, fracking and/or any other possible term describing the injection of a mixture of water and other fluid or gel-like substances with chemical compounds, elements or components, propants, fluids, propane, as well as mechanical and/or organic fillers, at a pressure larger than 20 atmospheres under the earth for exploration and/or extraction with the aim to extract and produce oil or natural gas on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria)

Now:
1. Prohibited the application of the technology of hydraulic rupture / fracking / or any other technology which pressed a mixture of fluids (gels or liquefied gas), chemical additives and / or fluid, mechanical and / or organic fillers in drilling wells causing the creation of new formation and / or expansion of existing natural cracks or fissure systems in all sedimentary formations, including coal seams for exploration and production of oil and natural gas.

2. Prohibits the extraction of shale gas on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria using the technology described in Art. 1.

3. Prohibits the field explorations for the tracing down of deposits or opportunities for extraction of oil and natural gas on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, which apply the method of hydraulic fracturing, any methods corresponding to the ones described in Art. 1 or any similar methods.

4. All exploratory and extractive activities planning to use the technology described in Art. 1 or any similar technology need to be immediately ceased, as of the date of the promulgation of this decision. The offenders will be sanctioned with a fine of 100,000,000 BGN.

5. All physical persons and/or legal entities that have received an exploration permit or a concession for the extraction of oil and gas and are affected by the current ban, are given a period of 3 months, as of the date this decision enters into force, during which time they have to submit for approval their revised working projects which have to exclude the prohibited methods.

6. The subjects mentioned in Art.5 that do not submit their new working projects before the deadline or submit projects that do not fulfill the requirements of this decision lose the rights that have granted to them with the respective permit or concession, and they will have no right of compensation.

7. Prohibits the issuing of licenses, the conclusion of concession and other contracts, as well as the performing of any legal or factual activities in violation of the current Decision.

8. The ban is not imposed upon R&D explorations which fulfill all of the following conditions: are made by independent scientific organizations, don’t have a business/trade purpose, have a purpose to study the risks from the extraction of oil and natural gas and do not use the prohibited method of hydraulic fracturing or similar methods.

9. The current ban is termless and is in force for the whole territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, including the aquatory of the Black Sea.

10. The control on the application of this decision is assigned to the Council of Ministers.

11. The decision enters into force as of the date of its promulgation in the State Gazette.

The decision is adopted by the Forty-first National Assembly on 18 January 2012, changed on 14 June 2012 and is stamped with the official stamp of the National Assembly.

The current situation in Bulgaria concerning fracking and gas&oil industry can be clarify as follow ….:
-       Lack of control bodies and mechanisms. There is no control at all and two wells could potentionaly violate the decision by the Parliament. There is lack of capacity of the official control body. Only 4 persons are responsible for the whole country and are the same people that were give permits to the oil&gas companies;
-       Lack of definitions, and specially for ‘unconventional’ fossil sources. There are no such a words in the legislation like shale gas, CBM, fracking, CSG, tar sands etc. There is luck of definitions concerning the technologies as well;
-       The Government still giving permits to different energy companies for exploration oil & gas (together) which still not excluding unconventional fossil sources even that we have a ban;
-       There are some groups of politicians and lobbies that are keeping pressure on the political level and making propaganda through the media;
-       The experts are divided on the two sides, but those with power are on the fracking side;
-       The civil society is still awake on the issue and ready for new actions if needed;
-       The government signed off and we don’t expect any changes after the upcoming elections in two months;
-       We have a huge capacity according to the legal, civil and expertise level which can be used by some other country anti-fracking groups. We’d liked to share.

Good luck to Wales and all the other countries/regions in the frack-free battle!

Boris

Moratorium   http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/18/bulgaria-shalegas-ban-idUSL6E8CI2ML20120118

REPUBLICOF BULGARIA

41^ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

DECISION

for ban on the application of the hydraulic fracturing technology for exploration and/or extraction of gas and oil on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria

The National Assembly, pursuant to art. 86, par. 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria and art. 78 of the Interior regulations for the organization and the work of the National Assembly and proceeding from the principle of precaution regarding the protection of public health and the environment

HAS DECIDED:

1. Prohibits the application of the hydraulic fracturing technology, hydrofracking, fracking and/or any other possible term describing the injection of a mixture of water and other fluid or gel-like substances with chemical compounds, elements or components, propants, fluids, propane, as well as mechanical and/or organic fillers, at a pressure larger than 20 atmospheres under the earth for exploration and/or extraction with the aim to extract and produce oil or natural gas on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria

2. Prohibits the extraction of shale gas on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria using the technology described in Art. 1.

3. Prohibits the field explorations for the tracing down of deposits or opportunities for extraction of oil and natural gas on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, which apply the method of hydraulic fracturing, any methods corresponding to the ones described in Art. 1 or any similar methods.

4. All exploratory and extractive activities planning to use the technology described in Art. 1 or any similar technology need to be immediately ceased, as of the date of the promulgation of this decision. The offenders will be sanctioned with a fine of 100,000,000 BGN.

5. All physical persons and/or legal entities that have received an exploration permit or a concession for the extraction of oil and gas and are affected by the current ban, are given a period of 3 months, as of the date this decision enters into force, during which time they have to submit for approval their revised working projects which have to exclude the prohibited methods.

6. The subjects mentioned in Art.5 that do not submit their new working projects before the deadline or submit projects that do not fulfill the requirements of this decision lose the rights that have granted to them with the respective permit or concession, and they will have no right of compensation.

7. Prohibits the issuing of licenses, the conclusion of concession and other contracts, as well as the performing of any legal or factual activities in violation of the current Decision.

8. The ban is not imposed upon R&D explorations which fulfill all of the following conditions: are made by independent scientific organizations, don’t have a business/trade purpose, have a purpose to study the risks from the extraction of oil and natural gas and do not use the prohibited method of hydraulic fracturing or similar methods.

9. The current ban is termless and is in force for the whole territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, including the aquatory of the Black Sea.

10. The control on the application of this decision is assigned to the Council of Ministers.

11. The decision enters into force as of the date of its promulgation in the State Gazette.

The decision is adopted by the Forty-first National Assembly on 18 January 2012 and is stamped with the official stamp of the National Assembly.

Hillary Clinton is promoting Chevron’s interests in a country that recently banned fracking

US tells Bulgaria shale gas is safe – http://www.euractiv.com/energy/us-tells-bulgaria-shale-gas-safe-news-510616

BULGARIA – UPDATE December 2011

Fwd: EIA – Bulgaria: EC Advises Members to Be Cautious with Shale Gas – Bulgarian Ministry – Novinite.com – Sofia News Agency – http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=135037
SHALE GAS IN BULGARIA
An introduction on shale gas campaign updates from Bulgaria -  by Kuba Gogolewski

December 2011

The situation
In June 2011 the Bulgarian government gave permission for research drilling for shale gas to Chevron. The block ‘Novi Paza’? is 4800 sq.km.

In North-Eastern Bulgaria. The region gets its water only from underground water resources and it is the main wheat region of Bulgaria. There is huge underground water basin known as the ‘Malmvalange’ and is the biggest natural reservoir of clean water on the Balkan Peninsula.  The population leaving in the area is about 1 million.

The first reaction was that the municipality of Novi Pazar, together with some NGOs and the Greens appealed the governmental decision in court. The court case is still pending.

Campaign

The campaign started in the summer of 2011 with several citizens’ protests. Facebook groups and website against shale gas were launched and the information got spread quickly. The citizens in the core were CSOs with very little experience in the activists? field but they are devoted. Some NGO people and The Greens are very active.
Officially was formed ‘National civil committee against shale gas studies and exploration through hydraulic fracturing in Bulgaria’.

The first big protest + rally happened on 1 September in 3 big cities. After that there are protests almost every week in Sofia and two of the affected towns  Varna and Dobrich.
The topic became huge in the media and in the public discussions. The documentary ‘Gas land’ was spread all over and given to all MPs.

One of the protests was during a charitable football game of famous people where the Prime Minister Borisov played. He agreed to meet the citizen’s group on this game (if they stop shouting anti-shale gas slogans) 2 meetings with the Prime Minister happened in October-November where he declared that if it was really dangerous there would not be drilling.

On 23rd October there were local and presidential elections. The Socialist party declared during their campaign that they are against shale gas.
Their candidate used it as a main message.
After the elections they stopped using the arguments so actively. There is a worry, In the context of the usual political direction of the Socialists ( pro-nuclear, pro- Russian energy projects, active supporters of Belene NPP), they are opposing the shale gas as supporters of the Russian gas.

Citizen’s initiative (according to the Bulgarian legislation) started. It required 50 people Initiative Committee. Over 17 000 signatures gathered so far on stands in the cities.

Main arguments used:

we are against this specific technology
the technology is banned in France, South Africa and USA (18 states of USA), UK
Fossil fuel not energy solution
Causes earthquakes/earthquakes can lead to accidents with the drills
1 of every 20 drillings has accidents (official data)
Huge risk for underground water which is scarce resource in North-Eastern Bulgaria
Chemical cocktail ? 650 chemicals used in the fracking
Usage of water ? over 19 000 litres for each fracking

What is achieved so far:Three parties (opposition and neutral) have submitted in the Parliament proposal for ban and for moratorium over the technology. It is pending.

Chevron had declared that they will start drilling only in 2015.

On 21.12.2011 the Minister of environment declared that they will change the regulations and the companies will need Environmental Impact Assessments before the stage of research drilling. Also the drillings for shale gas will need to get approval according to two other laws ? the law for underground resources and the law for defence of the impact of chemical substances.

This makes the procedures harder to go through.

In February the petition with signatures gathered by the Citizens initiative will be submitted in the Parliament.

Kuba Gogolewski
Koordynator ds. energii/Energy campaigner
CEE Bankwatch Network/Polish Green Network
ul. Raszynska 32/44 lok. 140, Warszawa

skype: kubagogolewski

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UKRAINE
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Ukraine – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21191164

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LICENCES – application/exploration

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Shale gas exploration in Spain - http://www.oilvoice.com/n/Realm_Energy_Gains_Foothold_For_Shale_Exploration_In_Spain/50780f780.aspx

Frackingarea’s in Spain

hhttp://www.sosclima.org/fracking-y-gas-de-esquisto-%C2%BFpeor-el-remedio-que-la-enfermedad
Received from: Hector de Prado Pistache (Friends of the Earth in Spain)

Cambio Climático y Energía- Amigos de la Tierra España

www.sosclima.org ° www.tierra.org ° www.foeeurope.org

The decision-makers of La Rioja, a region in the North-Center of
Spain, are finalising their decision to declare their region  
fracking-free, which would be the second region after Cantabria.

Application for exploration license in  Italy  c_27420110917en0009001

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 ROMANIA
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Another project
Not encouraging news from ROMANIA, Bihor county:

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CANADA – Alberta

National Farmers Union – 2012 02 23 National Farmer’s Union Demands Moratorium on frac’ing

Most Canadians want moratorium on fracking -

Postmedia News February 6, 2012

The majority of Canadians oppose hydraulic fracturing – better known as “fracking” – and would support a moratorium on the natural gas extraction method, according to a new poll.

The Environics Research poll, commissioned by the Council of Canadians, found that 62 per cent of the Canadians polled supported a moratorium on all fracking for natural gas until all federal environmental reviews are complete….

http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Most+Canadians+want+moratorium+fracking+poll/6106545/story.html

 Alberta Plays Catch-up on Frack Front -http://thetyee.ca/News/2012/02/23/AlbertaCatchUp/

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CHINA

Shell plans to invest $1bn to explore shale gas & refinery in China

http://www.qatar-tribune.com/data/20120822/content.asp?section=Business2_2

China oil giant Cnooc pushes ahead with Nexen acquisition

http://www.asianewsnet.net/home/news.php?id=35371

Door opens to China – Barnett

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Finance/2012/08/21/Door_opens_to_China_-_Barnett_786262.html

The Plan for a New World Order Stumbles on Geopolitical Realities

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=32439

Dart Energy are the leading unconventional gas player in Scotland. A Sunday Herald investigation on the weekend revealed that the calorific content of the gas from their flagship Airth coal bed methane project is too poor to feed directly into the grid. It seems as though they will have to boost it by adding propane, which will damage profit margins and make the project even more unpopular with locals.

Story below plus links to coverage of Dart’s financial woes and misleading public re fracking.

cheers

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/environment/revealed-secret-scots-fracking-plans.20661744

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/burning-issue-poor-gas-quality-could-end-scots-drilling-plan.20723754

http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/business/company-news/dart-energy-scraps-ipo-and-sheds-jobs.20683286